The 'Latter Days' Revival Before the Second Coming of Christ

Summary: The “last days”! These words bring apocalyptic images to the minds of many, along with vigorous theological debates, pro and con, on such subjects as "the rapture of the church," end time prophecy, biblical signs of the times, the end of the world as we know it, and more. But for the believer, a more practical focus for our direct participation is not the cataclysmic events prophesied to happen in the end times, but the prospect of being involved in great Holy Spirit revival coming upon the world and the Church.

Haggai 2:3, 9, 15-19 Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?... (9) 'The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says the LORD Almighty. 'And in this place I will grant peace,' declares the LORD Almighty... (15) Now give careful thought to this from this day on — consider how things were before one stone was laid on another in the LORD'S temple.... (18) From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought to the day when the foundation of the LORD'S temple was laid. Give careful thought: Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not borne fruit. From this day on I will bless you.

•• Remember the “former glory” of just the last century or so? — Azusa Street! ... the Latter Rain ... Full Gospel Business Men ... the healing revivals of the 1950s and 60s ... the Charismatic Movement ... the Jesus People ...

•• Haggai 2:9, KJV “The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former...”

•• The prophet Haggai said that the (re)building of the temple had ceased for 16 years, leading to years of fruitlessness. “Now”, he said, build the foundation and the house of the Lord, and as a result, “From this day on I [God] will bless you”!

•• Let us rebuild the Lord’s fallen house. Today’s blessings can exceed the former! The glory of the Church in the latter days can surpass that of the early Church. The latter-day bride of Christ will emerge as a glorious body of believers, without spot or wrinkle, and will reap a fruitful harvest near the end of the days of the Church's ministry on earth.

Acts 2:16-21 (17) In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.... (21) And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

•• We are living in the “last days” (Acts 2:16f; Hebrews 1:2). And we are drawing daily ever closer to the literal last days.

•• A “doubled” outpouring of the Holy Spirit and of God’s gloryin the last days.

John 2:13-16 (15) So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area....

Matthew 21:12-13 Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there.... "It is written," he said to them, “ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers.' "

•• Jesus cleansed the temple at the beginning of His public ministry. He did it again at the end of His ministry.

•• The early church was cleansed — for example, Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-10). I expect the last-days Church likewise to be cleansed and prepared for presentation to her Bridegroom Jesus.